If you are stopped for running a Texas red light, you will be issued a citation and will need to either pay the fine or appear in court. Fines for Texas red light tickets vary depending on the municipality where you were stopped, and also based on whether a policeman stopped you or your vehicle was merely caught on camera. For example, fines for Texas red light tickets issued by an intersection camera are limited to $75.00 by state law. Late fees for these charges cannot exceed $25. However, if you get caught by a police officer and receive a criminal citation for running a red light, you can expect to pay a good deal more. The exact amount depends in where you got your red light ticket. In Houston, the criminal fine for running a red light is $230. In Austin, it's $275, but if you pay early they'll drop it to $217. In El Paso, it's $175.

If you are stopped by a policeman for running a Texas red light, that is considered a criminal offense and a moving violation. It will count as two points on your driving record, and can cause your insurance rates to increase. However, you may have the option to take a defensive driving class, such as the classes offered by Driving University, to get the ticket dismissed. Our defensive driving class is the best choice because it can be taken over the internet on your home computer. You don't have to find time in your busy to schedule to attend a class, and you don’t have to waste precious gas money driving to an out-of-the way "classroom" to complete it. If you get the ticket dismissed, the incident will not add points to your license and your insurance company can’t raise your rates because of it.

If you get a ticket for a red light violation that was caught on camera, however, the offense is treated differently. You are presumed to be the driver of the offending vehicle because you own it, but since nobody stopped you the state has no way to verify if you were really behind the wheel at the time. Therefore, red light tickets from an intersection camera are treated as civil violations only. You are still responsible for paying the Texas red light ticket, whether you were actually the one driving the vehicle or not. However, the ticket won't appear on your driving record, won't create points against your license, and your insurance company can't use it as an excuse to raise rates.